TV's Funniest Women: Past, Present & Future

From Lucille Ball to Tina Fey, from Joan Rivers to Margaret Cho, women have been rewriting the rules of comedy for decades — and they're not done yet. Host Cynthia Bemis Abrams is joined by Lynn Harris, founder of Gold Comedy, to explore the legacy and future of funny women on TV. Together, they dissect the comedic influence of legends like Mary Tyler Moore, Moms Mabley, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus — and discuss why shows like SNL still present challenges for women today. With a nod to streaming, social media, and evolving industry gatekeepers, this episode dives into how women and non-binary creatives are shaping the next chapter of television comedy. Background & Mentions Gold Comedy – 1.21 – Lucille Ball's Humility & Pride 6.15 – Presenting Margaret Cho 11.1 – SNL's Gilda Radner: A Life Celebrated in Film Book recommendations: Joan Rivers (1986) Enter Talking and Carol Burnett (2011) This Time Together Learn more about Moms Mabley TV series Ellen (1994-98) S.4, e 22 The Puppy Episode WI Public Radio interview with Hacks creators CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA and ADVANCED TV HERSTORY ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com Website - Podcast Archive - tvherstory.com Instagram - Bluesky Social - @cynthiabemisabrams.bsky.social

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TV's Funniest Women: Past, Present & Future is an episode from Advanced TV Herstory |Women in TV |Television History | Feminism by Cynthia Bemis Abrams.

This episode is 36:41 long.

This episode was published on May 3, 2025.

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